What we learned from Alabama's 'decently normal' victory over Missouri
Related
Mac Jones to Jaylen Waddle could be a special connection for Alabama
“Decently normal.” That’s how Alabama quarterback Mac Jones described the atmosphere surrounding the Crimson Tide’s 38-19 victory over Missouri.
The 11,738 socially-distanced fans inside of Memorial Stadium failed to generate the same noise Alabama players are accustomed to when visiting opposing venues. However, even in the midst of what always seemed like an inevitable blowout, they had their moments.
“The energy was there,” Jones said. “We kind of made our own thing to bring our own energy, so that was the whole goal, and I think we did a good job of that. But like third downs and stuff, there was a good amount of crowd noise, and it felt like a pretty normal game. But at the end of the day, none of that really matters.”
As far as the play on the field was concerned, Saturday night was pretty normal for the Tide. Alabama scored touchdowns on five of its first seven possessions while its defense held Missouri at bay early. The Tide took a commanding 28-3 lead into the break. And while Missouri muddied up the score late in the game, the outcome was never in doubt.
Najee Harris ran for three touchdowns, while Jones and Jaylen Waddle connected for two scores through the air, and the Tide dominated yet another season-opening opponent.
Then again, there was something strange about seeing the painted outlines on the lawn at Faurot Field, separating students who would normally be packed together cheering on their team. Those type of restrictions resulted in a somewhat sterile atmosphere which may have in turn contributed to a similarly stale performance from Alabama late in the game.
Either way, that’s part of the new normal Alabama will have to get used to as it heads into this unprecedented season.
“It did not feel normal, I don't think,” head coach Nick Saban said. “I think it is a little different playing without fans, without enthusiasm. But I think our players played really hard and they competed. The spirit of the game was different in terms of having no fans, but I do not think the competitive spirit that the players played with was any different than it has ever been.”
“This is the way of the world right now, at least for the next little bit. We need to be able to maintain our intensity and not rely on any external factors to maintain our intensity and that is going to be a real key all season long.”
Najee Harris is still Alabama’s bell-cow back
Premium subscribers continue reading here
Not yet a premium subscriber of BamaInsider.com?
